Electric illuminating apparatus



(No Model.)

- E. A. COLBY.

ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING APPARATUS. No. 498,878. Patented June 6, 1893.

K w/rMEssE I INVENTOH g Eda/M a .0024

L A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVARD A. COLBY, OF NEWVARK, NEIV JERSEY.

ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,878, dated June 6,1893. Application fild February15,l893. Serial No.462,404-.. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. COLBY, of Newark, Essex county, NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ElectrioIlluminating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. Theprinciple of my invention consists in, first, constructing andorganizing the filament of an incandescent or glow lamp so that it shallconstitute a closed circuit, and, second, in causing said closedfilament to be rendered incandescent by the induced current causedtherein when brought into a varying field of force. This principle Ipreferably carry into eifect by placing said lamp so that said filamentbecomes substantially the secondary of an induction coil or transformer,in the primary coil of which a varying (alternating pulsating orintermittent) current is established. The filament is thus directly inthe field of force generated by the varying current, and thus, inaccordance with well-known laws, a current is produced in said filamentby induction, and hence without the use of Wires leading into saidreceiver and without direct connection with any source of electricity.

In another application for Letters Patent simultaneously filed herewith,Serial No. 462,405, I have fully described and claimed my method basedupon the foregoing principle; and I have therein stated that said methodmay be carried into effect in many ways and by diflerent forms ofapparatus; and I have also described, in said application, the same formof apparatus which is herein shown, by means of which said method may beused to produce beneficial result. My present application relates moreparticularly to the construction of said apparatus and to the variouscombinations included therein, which are hereinafter more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the lamp of Fig. 2 invertical section mounted upon the primary of an induction coil andprovided with means for moving it longitudinally upon said coil. Fig. 2shows the lamp in vertical section separately. Fig. 3 shows the innerglass tube of the lamp which carries the filament; the said filamenthere being a series of rings surrounding the tube. Figs.4,5and 6illustrate modifications of the device for adjusting or moving the lamplongitudinally upon the induction coil.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

The lamp proper consists of an annular I glass vessel, A, Fig. 2. Thesaid vessel may be regarded as consisting of an inner tube, B, Fig. 3,and an outer tube, C, which are united attheir extremities. Thisconstruction is adopted for convenience, as in practice I shall probablymake the tube B and all portions of the glass vessel A separately, andthen unite the tube B to the remainder of the vessel A, so as to producea closed glass chamber. Before the tube B is connected to the rest ofthe vessel A, I seal into it a wire, D, which may be of platinum.The'wire D is sealed into the tube B at its ends. or more rings,E,ofcarbon suitable for the filamentor"aglow1amp,andlconnect theseringstothe wire D, so that the wire serves as a support for the rings upon thetube B. I only show one supporting wire, D, here, butI may use othersimilarsupporting wires to D, if they be found desirable. After the tubeB carrying the wire D and rings E is connected to the tube 0 and thelamp A thus completed, I exhaust the air from the interior of said lampthrough an opening which may be located, anywhere convenient; as, forexample, at F, Fig. 2, for which purpose I use any of the known meansnow employed for the exhaustion of the bulbs of electric lamps. Whenthis exhaustion is completed, I hermetically seal the opening F in theusual way. It' will be observed that the rings E and wire D arecompletely inclosed within the exhausted vessel A and that there are noleading-in wires of any sort passing into the vessel A and communicatingwith the wire D or rings E. The filaments or rings E constitute each acircuit closed on itself, and each and every one of these rings becomesthe secondary coil of an induction coil or transformer when placed insuitable inductive proximity to the primary coil thereof, or, in otherwords, in the field of the transformer. When the chamber A containingthe rings E is so placed in inductive proximity to a primary coilthrough whicha varying (alternating, or intermittent, or pulsating)current of electricity is passing, then, if the induced currents in therings E be of Upon the tube B I place one a which G is a primary coilinclosing the usual core, H, made up preferably of a bundle of straightiron wire and secured to a base, I.

The wires J K connect the coil G with any suitable source of alternatingcurrent. The lamp A is placed upon the platform I and receives in itsinner tubular opening the coil G. In this way the rings E are brought inclose inductive proximity to the coil G.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this preciseconstruction, because there are other ways of arranging the rings E sothat they will operate practically as secondary coils to a primary coilcarrying the current; but the foregoing is sufficient to exhibit to anyperson skilled in the art one way in which this result .can beoperatively and usefully accomplished; and this being shown, itis withinthe knowledge of the electrical workmen at the presenttime to arrangeother ways of producing the same result without the exercise of anythingmore than mechanical and ordinary electrical skill.

I have stated that the intensity of the light of the rings E can bevaried by moving them into stronger or weaker parts of the field offorce. Thus, I may move the rings into a region where they are traversedby a greater or less number of lines of force, or into a region where,generally speaking, the inductive effect is greater or less than in someother. One mode of accomplishing this is exhibited in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, and other equivalent means are represented in Figs. 4-, 5, 6.In Fig. 1 the primary coil G has an envelope, L, the exterior peripheryof which is threaded to receivethe nut M. The lamp A, which surroundscoil G, rests on the nut M and thus may be supported in any desiredposition longitudinally the coil, as indicated by the dotted lines. Theposition of the rings E is thus changed with relation to the field offorce produced by the coil G. When the lamp A is in the position shownby full lines, Fig. 1, so that it embraces the whole of the coil G, thenits rings will receive the strongest inductive effect and will glow mostbrightly; but when thelamp A is lifted or moved along the primary coilG, as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 1, then,.as is obvious, the rings Ewill include less of the field, and hence will be subjected to a reducedinductive influence, so that the brilliance of their glow will bediminished. With a given Varying current, the light-giving capacity ofthe rings may thus be regulated by moving the lamp A upon the primarycoil G. The particular device for moving the lamp A is not at allessential to my invention, because the lamp A may be moved by hand, andheld in adjusted position by any suitable means; as, for example,

by the interposition of washers, or supports between the bottom of saidlamp and platform I, as indicated in Fig. 5 at N, or I may arrangeadjusting screws passing through the platform I and bearing against thelower side of the vessel A, as shown at 0, Fig. 6. Or, extending acrossthe upper part of the lamp A there may be a bar, P, through which passesa screw, Q, the lower end of which bears upon the end of core Hand theupper end of which is provided with a milled head, R; so that by turningthe screw Q I can vary the position of the lamp A on the coil G.

It is to be distinctly understood that I do not herein limit myself tovarying the intensity of glow of the lamp by moving the lamp only withreference to the field, because I may move (1) the lamp, leaving thesupport and inducing coil stationary, or (2) the coil, leaving the lampand support stationary, or (3) the support, leaving the lamp and coilstationary. To illustrate (l), the lamp in Fig. 1 may, as alreadydescribed, be moved on the supports, as indicated by dotted lines, or(2), the lamp may be held fixed in any suitable clamp or bracket and thecore H and base I may also be so held. Then the coil G within the lampmay be moved to slide longitudinally upon the core, or (3), the lampbeing held fixed in any suitable clamp or bracket and the coil G alsobeing so held, the core l-I may be slid longitudinally within the coilG. The candle power of the lamp can obviously be altered in either ofthese three ways.

I claim- 1. The combination in an electric glowlamp, of a filament inring or closed coil form, and a means of producing avarying field offorce: the said filament being located in said field and receiving acurrent by induction therefrom, substantially as described.

2. The combination of an electric glow lamp having a filament in ring orclosed coil form, a coil and a source of varying electric currentconnected with said coil: the said filament and said coil being disposedin inductive proximity, substantially as described.

3. The combination of an electric glow lamp containing a filament inring or closed coil form, a coil, a source of varying electric currentconnected with said coil and means for altering the relative proximityof coil and filament whereby the inductive effect of said coil upon saidfilament may be modified, substantially as described.

4.. An elongated body (such as a coil) capa ble of producing in itsvicinitya field of force, and a glow lamp having an annular receiver anda filament in ring or closed form concentric therewith: said lamp beingreceived upon and surrounding said body, substantially as described.

5. The combination in an electric glow lamp of a receiver of translucentmaterial and a filament without leading-in wires in the form of a ringor closed coil inclosed therein, sub stantially as described.

6. The combination in an electric glow lamp of a receiver of translucentmaterial in annular form and a filament without leading in wires in theform of a ring or closed coil disposed concentrically with and inclosedin said receiver, substantially as described.

7. The combination in an electric glow lamp of a glass receiver inannular form, a support therein, and a filament without leading in wiresin the form of a ring or closed coil carried by said support anddisposed concentrically with and inclosed in said receiver,substantially as described.

8. The combination in an electric glow lamp of a glass receiver inannular form and two or more filaments without leading in wires in theform of rings or closed coils disposed concentrically with and inclosedin said receiver, substantially as described.

9. The combination in an electric glow lamp of a glass receiver inannular form,a support therein and two or more filaments without leadingin wires in the form of rings or closed coils, carried by said supportand disposed concentrically with and inclosed in said receiver,substantially as described.

10. In an electric illuminating apparatus, a support, a means ofproducing a variable field of force combined therewith, a glow lampreceiver adapted to be held upon said support, and a filament in ringorclosed coil form inclosed within said receiver: the aforesaid partsbeing constructed and arranged so that when said receiver is held uponsaid support said filament shall be in said variable field,substantially as described.

11. In an electric illuminating apparatus a primary coil, a glow lampreceiver adapted to be supported thereon, and a filament in ring orclosed coil form inclosed within said receiver: the aforesaid partsbeing constructed and arranged so that when said receiver is supportedon said primary coil, said filament shall become a secondarytheretoandbe caused to glow by the induced current, substantially asdescribed.

12. In an electric illuminating apparatus a primary coil, a glow lampreceiver adapted to be supported thereon, a filament in ring or closedcoil form inclosed within said receiver, and means for varying theposition of said receiver with reference to said primary coil: theaforesaid parts being constructed and arranged so that when saidreceiver is supported on said primary coil said filament shall become asecondary thereto and be caused to glow by the induced current, and alsoso that by the movement of said receiver as aforesaid said inductionefiect, and hence the intensity of the glow, may be varied,substantially as described.

13. In combination with an electric glow lamp having an annular receiverand a filament in ring or closed form concentric therewith and inclosedtherein, a coil constructed to be received in the cylindrical spacesurrounded by said receiver, substantially as described.

14. The combination of a fixed coil and surrounding said coil anelectric glow lamp having an annular receiver and a filament in ringorglow form concentric therewith and inclosed therein: the said lampbeing movable longitudinally said coil, substantially as described.

15. The combination of a fixed coil and, surrounding said coil, anelectric glow lamp having an annular receiver and a filament in ring orglow form concentric therewith and inclosed therein, and means foradjusting the lamp upon said coil, so that more or less of said coilwill be received in the cylindrical space surrounded by said lamp,substantially as de-. scribed.

16. The combination of a fixed coil, having an inclosing threadedenvelope, a nut on said envelope, an electric glow lamp having anannular receiver and a filament in ring or glow form concentrictherewith and inclosed therein, the said lamp surrounding said coilhaving a bearing upon said nut whereby it may be adjusted in alongitudinal direction upon said coil, substantially as described.

17. The combination of a core, a coil thereon and an annular glow lamphaving a filament in ring or closed coil form upon said coil, the saidcore being movable longitudinally within the coil, substantially asdescribed.

18. The combination of a core, acoil thereon and an annular glow lamphaving a filament in ring or closed coil form upon said coil, the saidcoil being movable longitudinally upon said core, substantially asdescribed. a

. EDWARD A. COLBY.

Witnesses:

H. A. MOLLER, M. Boson.

